Storing and transporting cordage, used hereafter to describe thin string or twine with a diameter of 2 mm or less, cord with a diameter of 2-4 mm, rope with a diameter of 4-15 mm and thick rope with a diameter in excess of 15 mm, presents some challenging problems. The problems include; that the cordage often becomes tangled when stored or in transit, and it can take considerable time to untangle the cordage before it is usable. Another problem is that conventionally stored cordage takes up room and therefore limits the contents of the duffel, bag, backpack, or other container storing the cordage. Additionally, if the cordage becomes loose and tangled in a container (e.g., bag or backpack), it may “snare” other objects in the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,576,297 to Cowart (1971) discloses a holder for water-ski rope whereby the rope is wound around the holder. This kind of “winding rope holder” effectively prevents the stored cordage from becoming tangled once it is wound onto the holder. However, the rigid nature of the holder makes it less desirable to pack in a backpack than a flexible holder would be.
A more minimalist, flexible means of storing cordage is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,418 to Betrand et al, 2002. This cordage storage method lacks significant rigidity and is thus more suited to being carried in a backpack than a rigid “wind-up frame”. However, the exposed cordage may become entangled with other items, e.g., in a backpack or bag, because the stored cordage is not protected from interacting with items it comes in contact with. Additionally, deployment of the cordage from this method requires unfastening fasteners and unwrapping the cordage which can be problematic in an emergency situation. Finally, there is no mechanism to prevent the cordage from becoming untangled once it is released from this “rope hook”.
Rope and throw bags are designed to feed out rope when an end of the rope is pulled, or when the bag is thrown, e.g., to a drowning victim. Examples of these devices include U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,823 to Mosna et al, 2003, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,033 to Cameron, 1987. While cordage is packed in these dispensers and will deploy rapidly, rigid components make them rigid. Additionally significant practice or expertise and perhaps even special tools may be required to successfully re-pack the cordage so it can be deployed quickly and predictably when next needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,396 to Short et al, 1998, discloses a method/system to store and deploy rope or line using a number of tubular members. This arrangement provides for the rapid deployment of thick rope, but this method is intended for thick rope used for an emergency tow pack for sea-going vessels and would not be suitable for cordage of small diameters, e.g., under about 10 mm. Further, the rigidity of the tubular members makes this method/system unsuitable for lightweight, compact, and convenient transport articles.
Another method intended to deploy rope used in rappelling is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,517 to Wirth, 1987. This method/system is designed to prevent the stored cordage from becoming entangled when an elongated flexible panel is rolled up and secured, but once the elongated flexible panel is unrolled, the loops of cordage are susceptible to entanglement if they come in contact with other objects or material. This system is also intended for thicker cordage (diameters usually in excess of 10 mm) that is capable of bearing a climber and is not readily adaptable to cordage of smaller diameters, e.g., 4 mm and less. Aesthetically, when stored in the rolled panel, the color and pattern of the cordage is hidden and can't be seen or appreciated.
Two patents incorporating a rope carrying function into an article of clothing are U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,994 B1 to Lewis et al (2001) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,167 to De Rosa et al (2000). Both disclose garments for use by firefighters, rescue workers, forestry workers and similar occupations. They differ in that the former uses elastic bands inside the garment to separate the cordage, whereas the later is essentially one long “pocket” that circles the wearer's waist. As such the latter patent includes nothing inside the pocket to prevent the cordage from fouling or becoming entangled on itself. Both methods place the cordage inside the garment and thus create two potential problems. 1) The heavy stored cordage can shift the center of mass of the wearer as he/she moves about, causing them to become off-balanced. 2) While the cordage is being deployed it may pull the wearer of the garment in an undesirable fashion causing them to lean or fall. Embodiments wherein the rope is stored in part of the garment also inherently mean that if the wearer takes off the garment (if for example it becomes too warm to wear the coat) they are without access to the cordage on their person (unless they are carrying the garment by hand). Or put another way, if one desires to have continual access to the cordage stored by these methods, they must continue to wear or carry the garment no matter how uncomfortable that may become. Both of these methods also hide the cordage from view.
Two patents disclose using cordage as part of visible utility or survival belts, worn for special purposes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,617 to Lyon, 1980, discloses a “survival belt” comprised of cordage run through a plurality of holes in two separate parts of what amounts to a “buckle”. This buckle incorporates a hatchet head with various survival implements attached. U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,522 to Auburn, 1979, discloses a survival belt of woven cordage, the belt suitable for removal and rapid unraveling to produce a continuous single strand, however the belt looses its use as a belt when the cordage is needed and must be rewoven, a difficult task, to re-stow the cordage after use. While both of these inventions are flexible and effectively display the cordage, they suffer one major flaw as an article of clothing. Namely, once the cordage has been deployed, the wearer no longer has a belt, or other functional article, to keep their pants up, for holding various pouches or articles, etc. Additionally, to deploy the cordage the user must remove the belt and disassemble it. The time involved in doing so may be excess in an emergency or survival situation, and with one of the inventions the act of restoring the belt is very complex and very time consuming.
Flexible cordage holders that would conform to irregular shapes and/or compress more than existing rigid holders when other adjacent items are pressed against them are non-existent, but would be very useful. Also, the rigidity of prior art holders make them unsuitable for incorporating into many useful articles. Most, prior art rope, etc. holders require the operator to manipulate the holder to release the rope in small increments at a time until the rope is completely deployed and the deployment of the cordage is not a smooth, continuous action, but often jerky and halting. Present devices that help keep the cordage from getting tangled also prevent it from being deployed rapidly. While some holders have been specifically created to deploy cordage rapidly in emergency situations, they suffer one or more of the above limitations.